End lasting machine



Dc. 13, 1949 F. c. EASTMAN ETAL 2,490,900

END LASTING MACHINE Filed March s, 1946 1:5 Sheets-Sheet 1 5/42 gas Invenfors Fred QEaszman P/zz'lipEBurbg y I F. C. EASTMAN ETAL Dec. 13, 1949 END LAS TING MACHINE l3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 6, 1946 1.12 mm for-s Fred C Eastman Philip E Burrb 9 neg 1949 F. c. EASTMAN E-IAL 0 END LASTING MACHINE Filed March 6, 1946 13 Sheets-Sheet 3 Fred C. Faszmafi Phi/I}? EBurby 1949 F. c. EASTMAN ETAL 2,490,900

END LASTING MACHINE Filed March 6, 1946 13 Sheets-Sheet 4 Free! OEaszman Phi/IpEBurby 4 F. c. EASTMAN rm. 2,490,900

END LASTING MACHINE Filed March 6, 1946 13 Sheets-Sheet 5 f .310 Inven tors Fred CEastman D .1949 F. c. EASTMAN EITAL 2,490,900

END LASTING MACHINE Filed March 6, 1946 15 Sheds-Sheet 6 In venfor's: Fred CEaszmah PhilzpEBur'bl a I y 1949 F. c, EASTMAN ETAL 2,490,900

END LASTING MACHINE Filed March 6, 1946 13 Sheets-Sheet 154 a I I I40 I56 I E j a? 166 158 138 f 144 F Inbenfors Fred OEaszman Philip EBur'by Dec. 13, 1949 F. c, EASTMAN ET 2,490,900

END LAS-TING MACHINE Filed March 6, 1946 1 l3 Sheets-Sheet 8 i Inuen tors Fred CEasiman Philip E ur-bg Dec. 13, 1949 F. c. EASTMAN ETAL END LASTING MACHINE l3 Sheets-Sheet 9 Filed March 6, 1946 Inven fors Fred C Eastman Phm- EBwb F. C. EASTMAN ET AL END LASTING MACHINE l3 Sheds-Sheet 10 Filed March 6, 1946 4 i 2 u: m Sm. e 4 rm 3 &w H ca w t 3 nEB u uuh 0 0 9 r n eulu. m 4 6 2m 1 2 8 a Dec. 13,1949 F. c. EASTMAN ETAL END LASTING MACHINE l3 Sheets-Sheet 11 Filed March 6, 1946 Inventor's Fred CEaslman Phi/lpEBurby Dec. 13, 1949 F. c. EASTMAN ETAL 2,490,900

END LASTING MACHINE Filed March 6, 1946 l3 Sheets-Sheet l2 Fit/ 9. 234.

Inven fors Fred OEaszmcm Phib'pEBurby Dec. 13, 1949 F. c. EASTMAN ET AL END LASTING MACHINE 1s Sheets$heet is Filed March 6, 1946 [nven tors Fr'ed GEaszman PhilzpfiBurby mimi m 06% 26k @O N @2 0 XQQM QDAQSON moz cwaoowg Patented Dec. 13,1949

UNITED STATES PATENT; OFFICE" Fred c. Eastman, Marblehead,

Burby, Beverly, Mass l v This invention relates to machines for use in the manufacture of'shoes, and is hereinshown as embodied in a modification of a power-operated toe-lasting machine such as disclosed in United States Letters Patent No. 2,160,846, granted on June 6, 1939,'onan application of F. C. Eastmans and A. F. Pyms. It is to be understood, however, that in various novel aspects the invention is not limited to the illustrative embodiment.

, The toe-lasting machine shown in the abovepers for pulling the toe end of the upper over the last and with wipers for wiping its marginal portion inwardly over an insole on the last. The machine is intended especially for the lasting of welt shoes and is so constructed as to permi t the operator to apply a binder wire about the toe to hold the upper in lasted position. An object of the present invention is to adapt the machine for the lasting of shoes of that type in which the margin of the upper over the insole lies throughout its width in substantially parallel relation to the bottom of the last when the outsole is applied to the shoe. To this end, the machine herein shown is provided with means for driving a plurality of fastenlngs to fasten the marginal portion of the upper to the insole after it has been wiped inwardly by the wipers and with a different organization of means from that shown in the above-mentioned Letters Patent for pulling the upper preparatory to the action of the wipers thereon.

As a part of the above-mentioned upper-pulling means the invention provides novel mechanism for imparting to different grippers upperpulling movements which differ in extent as required by different portions of an upper engaged thereby. The construction shown comprises a gripper for gripping the upper at the end of theme, a pair of grippers for gripping it respectively at the opposite sides of the toe near the end thereof, and another pair of grippers for gripping it also at the sides of the toe but in locations farther from the end of the .toe.

Since the portion of the upper acted upon by and Philip E.

assignors toUnited Shoe MachineryCoi-poration, Flemington, N. J., a corporation of New Jersey Application March e, 1948; Serial No. 652,472 69 Claims. (01. 12-1 o.2)

' side grippers.

lmentioned Letters Patent is provided with grip- A the last-mentioned grippers is close to a portion beyond the toe which in accordance with the usual practice has already been lasted, it requires less pull than the portion acted upon by the pair of grippers near the end of the toe. Accordingly, provision is afforded for moving the pair of grippers near the end of the toe a determ'inately greater distance than the other pair, the construction shown being further such that a movement of determinately greater extent also may be imparted to the end gripper than to the In the illustrative embodiment of the invention the several grippers are thus moved by levers which are mounted for movements independently of one another about a common axis and are operated in the proper'time relation to one another by a member also movable about that axis, provision being afforded for adjustably varying the times when this member begins to act on the different pairs of side grippers. It is contemplated that for the purpose in view this member will first begin to move the end gripper and will thereafter successively pick up and operate the pairs of side grippers located respectively near the end of the toe and fartherfrom the end of the toe.

The invention further provides novel gripperadjusting and controlling means, herein shown as associated with each of the several grippers. In the illustrative embodiment of the invention each gripper comprises a pair of jaws and a casing supporting the jaws and mounted for universal swinging movement relatively to the gripper-operating lever associated therewith, novel mechanism being provided for adjustably swinging the gripper in any direction relatively to the lever. This mechanism includes a plurality of fingers arranged to extend heightwise of the last and to engage the gripper casing respectively in different locations around the casing, the fingers being relatively movable heightwise of the last thus to adjust the gripper. Such relative movement of the fingers is effected by a manually operated member which is, for that purpose, mounted for universal tipping movement,-the fingers being held in their adjusted relation by means in frictional engagement with this member. A support for the fingers, moreover, is movable to adjust the gripper bodily heightwise of the last through the fingers and also to turn it adjustably about an axis extending heightwise of the last. Further to assist in accomplishing the objects of the invention the I last after its release of the upper. In the return of the parts to starting positions control of the gripper by the fingers with respect to swinging movement is reestablished.

In a further novel aspect the invention relates more particularly to the control of means provided for fastening the upper after its marginal portion has been wiped inwardly over the insole by the wipers. For thus fastening the upper the machine has a plurality of fastening-inserting devices, each including a holder for a fastening and a driver bar and driver for driving the fastening, and there is provided novel means for moving these devices from initial retracted positions where they are out of the way of the grippers into positions for the driving of the fastenings. In the construction shown the fastening-inserting devices are mounted to swing transversely of the edge of the shoe bottom about connections between the driver bars and their operating means, and to position them for the driving of the fastenings they are swung inwardly over the shoe bottom into alinement with openings in the wipers through which the fastenings are driven, the holders being also moved heightwise of the shoe relatively to the driver bars to seat them in recesses formed. in the wipers adjacent to the openings. In thus positioning the devices different groups thereof which drive their fastenings respectively along the opposite side portions of the shoe bottom are swung both lengthwise and laterally of the shoe by levers which for that purpose are moved bodily lengthwise of the shoe and receive swinging movements laterally of the shoe in response to such bodily movements, the levers also being moved bodily heightwise of the shoe to seat the holders in the recesses in the wipers. In order that the positions to which the fastening-inserting devices are thus moved lengthwise and laterally of the shoe may be varied for shoes of different styles or sizes, provision is further afforded for preliminarily adjusting the devices relatively to one another, each of the above-mentioned levers having thereon means for securing the several devices controlled thereby in their adjusted relation.

Further to assist in accomplishing the objects of the invention, the machine herein shown is so constructed that while the toe-end portion of the upper is held in lasted position by the wipers the fastenings for securing it to the insole are not driven simultaneously, but in an adjustably predetermined time relation to one another, the timing being preferably such that after the driving of a single fastening at the end of the toe different pairs of fastenings are driven successively with the fastenings of each pair located respectively at the opposite sides of the toe. One advantage of this construction is that it serves to avoid such comparatively heavy pressure on the bottom of the toe end of the ,shoe as would result from the driving of all the fastenings simultaneously, thus guarding against excessive pressure on the top of the toe end of the shoe of a toe rest which supports that portion of the shoe in the toe-lasting operation. A further advantage arises from the fact that in the construction shown the several drivers are operatedpairs of drivers respectively at difleront times. as above described, insurance is afforded that the pressure of the fluid will remain high enough to move the drivers with the required speed and force, the force being applied, moreover. simultaneously at the opposite sides of the shoe bottom to avoid any tendency to displace the shoe.

The above and other features of the invention. including various novel details of construction and combinations of parts, will now be more particularly described with reference to the accompanying drawings and thereafter pointed out in the claims. 7

In the drawings, Fig. 1 is a view in right-hand side elevatio of the greater portion of the machine in which the invention is herein shown as embodied. with parts broken away:

Fig. 2 is a plan view on an enlarged scale of the upper front portion of the machine, with parts broken away;

Fig. 3 is a section on the line III-J11 of Fig. 2:

Fig. 4 is a plan view of a portion of the means for controlling the fastening-inserting devices, with parts in section Fig. 5 is a view in front elevation of the structure shown in Fig. 4, with parts broken away;

Fig. 6 is a section on the line VI-VI of Fig. 3;

Fig. '7 is 'an enlarged plan view of a portion of the structure shown at the left-hand side of Fig. 4, with parts in section on the line VII-VB of Fig. 5;

Fig. 8 is a section on the line VIH- -VHI of Fig. 4, on an enlarged scale; 4

Fig. 9 is a section on the line IX-IX of Fig- 8;

Fig. 10 is a section on the line X-X of Fig. 8;

Fig. 11 is a view mainly in rear elevation of the portion of the structuretoward which the arrow A points in Fig. 3;

Fig. 12 is a section on the line XII-XII oi Fi 11 Fig. 13 is a section on the line XIII-XIII of Fig. 12;

Fig. 14 is a view in right-hand side elevation of a portion of the means for controlling the Fig. 16 is a section on the line XVL- XVI of Fig. 15;

Fig. 17 is a section on the line is Fig. 15;

Fig. 18 is a view mainly in right-haniside' elevation of portions of the mechanisms for operating the grippers and for feeding. the fasterings;

Fig. 19 is mainly a plan view of the feeding.

mechanism;

Fig. 20 is a section on. the line XX-XX of Fig. 19;

Fig. 21 is a view in front elevation showin means provided for controlling the closing of the grippers by fluid pressure;

Fi 22 is a section on the line XXII-XXII of Fig. 21, on an enlarged scale;

Fig. 23 is a view in front elevation of means provided for positioning the shoe;

Fig. 24 is a section on the line XXIV-XXIV of Fig. 23;

Figs. 25 to 28 inclusive are m inly vertical sectional views illustrating the relation of certain parts to the shoe at different times in the operation of the machine; Fig. 29 is a vertical sectional view on a larger scale than Fig. 23 showing one of the fastening.

. thereon;

as in Fig. 26;

Fig. 34 is a view similar to Fig. 33 illustrating the relation of the wipers and the fastening-inserting devices to the shoe at the same stage in v the operation as in Fig. 28; and

' Fig. 35 is a chart showing the timing of operations performed by the machine.

. For positioning the shoe the machine is provided with means constructed mainly as disclosed in Figs. 16 to 19 inclusive of Letters Patent No.

2,224,146, granted on December 10, 1940, on an application of F. C. Eastmans. cludes a plate 2 (Figs. 3 and 23) detachably secured to a holder 4 formed on the lower end of a vertically adjustable post 6. The plate is held in place on the holder by a spring-pressed pin 8 extending into an opening formed in a stud l0 projecting upwardly from the plate into the holder, its position being further determined by a pin l2 extending downwardly from the holder into a hole in the plate. The plate 2 has a downwardly extending rim arranged to engage the bottom face of the insole aboutthe end and along the sides of the toe far enough from the edge of the insole to permit the margin of the upper to be lasted inwardly over the insole. The position of the shoe lengthwise is determined by an end gage it arranged to serve as an abutment in contact with the toe-end face of the last and formed, as more fully disclosed in the last-mentioned Letters Patent, to centralize the end of the last and shoe laterally. In the construction herein shown this gage is mounted for swinging movements heightwise of the shoe ona pin l6 mounted in the holder 4 and is controlled by two toggle links (8 and 20 pivotally connected respectively to the gage and to the holder 4. These two links are connected together by a pin 22 controlled by means hereinafter described for withdrawing the gage from operative position at the proper time in the operation of the machine. Arranged to cooperate with the end gage M further to determine the proper position of the shoe are two side gages 24 (Fig. 23) comprising fingers extending downwardly toward the opposite side edges of the shoe bottom at or near the ball portion of the shoe to indicate visually the proper position of this portion of the shoe laterally. These side gages have horizontally extending arms 26 (Fig. 24) mounted in guideways in a bracket 28 fastened on the front of the holder 4, the arms being provided with rack teeth engaging the opposite sides of a pinion 30 fast on a shaft 32 which may be turned by a knob 34 on its upper end. By this means the gages are so ad- 'justed that their lower ends are substantially the same distance apart as the opposite side edges of the corresponding portion of the shoe bottom. It will be understood that the operator presents the work to the machine with the toe-end face of the last in engagement with the end gage l4 and further positions the shoe laterally by sight as This means in- 8 determined by the side cases 24 before starting the machine. Shortly after the starting of the machine the shoe is clamped against the plate 2 in the position thus determined by a toe rest 30 which is moved upwardly into clampin position as illustrated in Fig. 25, and it is further held against lengthwise displacementby a heel rest 38 (Fig. 1) which is moved rearwardly into engagement with its heel-end face as fully dis-- closed in Letters. Patent No. 2,160,846. In accordance further with the disclosure of the lastmentioned Letters Patent the cycle of operations of the machine corresponds to one complete revo-. lution of a cam shaft 40 which carries cams for operating various instrumentalitieswith which the machine is provided, this cam shaft being driven through a clutch 42 which is actuated to start the machine by means of a treadle (not herein shown). This clutch drives a worm 44 in engagement with a worm ear 48 fast on the cam shaft.

For applying a pull to the toe-end portion of the upper machine is provided with means differing substantially from the disclosure of Letters Patent No. 2,160,846, including a gripper 48 (Figs. 3 and 33) arranged to grip the marginal portion of the upper at the end of the toe, a pair of grippers 50 for gripping it along the greater portions of the sides of the toe and a pair of additional side grippers 52 arranged to grip shorter sections of the upper beyond the main side grippers 50, the object being to apply a pull to substantially all portions of the upper extending as far heelwardly as the portions already lasted at the sides of the forepart beyond the toe. Except for such differences in shape as are illustrated in Fig. 33, the grippers are all substantially alike and may be described by reference to the toe-end gripper so shown in Figs. 3 and 28, corresponding parts of all the grippers and of their operating mechanisms being identified by the same reference characters.

The toe-end gripper includes a casing as a portion of which is shaped to providepa hollow cylinder and has extending downwardly from it a pair of arms 56 which are spaced from each other. Secured in fixed relation to these arms by two pins 58 and 60 is a jaw 62 arranged to engage the inner face of the marginal portion of the upper. Pivotally mounted on the pin 60 for swinging movement toward and from the jaw 62 is a jaw 6 4 which engages the outer face of the upper, this jaw having an upwardly extending tail portion 66 engaged by a cam 68 pivotally mounted between the arms 56 on a pin 10. A spring 12 connected to the tail portion of the jaw 64 tends to swing this jaw away from the jaw 62 and holds its tail portion against the cam. The cam is connected by a link 14 to the lower end of a rod 15 extending upwardly through a cap 18 fast on the lower end of the cylindrical portion of the casing 54, the rod being connected at its upper end to a piston movable in the cylinder provided by the casing. Between the cap and the piston is a compression spring 82 which tends to raise the pistonand against the resistance of which the piston is moved downwardly to operate the cam 68 and thereby to close the gripper on the upper by swinging the jaw 64 toward the jaw 62. The

piston is thus operated by fluid admitted to the gripper cylinder as hereinafter described. At its upper end the casing 54 is supported for universal swinging movement on the ball-shaped end 84 of a pin 86 carried by a lever arm 88 which is rotatably mounted on a rockshaft 90 supported in bearings on the front of the frame. The ballshaped and of the pin "is enmedbelow by the concave face of a bearing member 42 mounted ontheclsinguandisengagedabovebythesimi larly shaped lower end of a screw 44 threaded in the casing. It will be understood that the several gripp rs are supported in this manner on corresponding lever arms I and that the manner in which they are thus supported permits them each to be adjusted in any direction about the ball-shaped end 04 of the pin 44, as hereinafter more particularly described. The arms 44 are all rotatably mounted independently of one another on the rockshaft 34 and are alike in function but diiler in shape as required by the relation of the different grippers to one another (Fig. 2).

For operating theseveral arms 00 to impart the upper-pulling movements to the grippers there is provided a bar 36 extending lengthwise oi the rockshaft 30 and having on its opposite ends oilset bosses 30 (Figs. 2 and 21) whereby it is mounted on and secured to the rockshaft. This bar is arranged to act, in response to turning movement of the rockshaft in a counterclockwise direction with'reference to Fig. 3, on upwardly extending arms I00 which are integral respectively with the several arms 80, each arm 80 and the corresponding arm I00 forming a bell-crank lever. To operate the end gripper 40 the bar 36 directly engages the arm I00 associated with this gripper (Fig. 28), but tooperate the other grippers the bar engages screws I02 (Figs. 2 and 18) threaded in the corresponding arms I00. By ref.- erence to Fig. 2 it will be seen that the arms 00 which operate the two main side grippers 50 (Fig. 33) aresomewhat shorter than the arm which operates the end gripper, and that the arms which operate the additional side grippers 52 are considerably shorter than the arms which operate the grippers 50. From this construction it naturally follows that if the arms 88 are moved the same number of degrees about the axis of the rockshaft 90 upper-pulling movements of less exlatter grippers, moreover, need not move so far as the end gripper 42 to pull the upper properly over the last. Preferably such difierences between the movements of diiferent grippers are determinately increased by beginning the operative movements of different arms 00 at diiferent times, as determined by adjustments of the screws I42. It is contemplated that preferably these screws will be so adjusted that the bar 30 will first begin the operation of the end gr pper 48, after which in its continued movement it will pick up and also operate the arms 38 connected to the main side grippers 50 and then the arms 40 connected to the additional side grippers 52. In this manner a partial upper-pulling movement of positively predetermined extent will be imparted to the end s ipper prior to the beginning of the movements of the main side grippers, and partial upperother.

For imparting the operative turning movement to the rockshait 30 there is fast on one end of the rockshaft an arm I04 (Figs. 1, 2 and 18) connected by'a link I 06 to one arm of a bell-crank lever I04 mounted to turn about a shaft IIO, the other arm of this bell-crank lever carrying a roll "2 engaged by the periphery of a cam II4 on thecam shaft 40. A spring IIG connected to the lever I00 acts on the lever, when permitted by the cam, to turn the rockshaft in the direction to operate the grippers, thepulling of the upper being therefore effected yieidingly by the spring. The cam II4 acts on the lever to impart return movements to the rockshaft 90 and the bar 30 near the end of the cycle of operations of the machine, and to insure the return of the grippers at this time to their starting positions the bar 30 is connected to the several arms I00 by springs H8.

Further to control and adjust the-several grippers there are provided, for each gripper, three upwardly and downwardly extending fingers I20 (Figs. 3, 15 and 17) the lower end of one of which lies in a notch I22 in a fiange I24 formed on the upper end of the gripper casing 54 and each of which has on its lower end a projection I26 (Fig. 28) which engages the lower face of the flange. At their upper ends the fingers are pivotally mounted on pins I28 in the forked outer ends of small levers I30 which are pivotally mounted midway between their opposite ends on pins 432 in recesses provided in radially projecting portions (Fig. 6) of an otherwise cylindrical member I34. This member extends upwardly within a sleeve I35 which is threaded in a casting I38 on the frame, and near its upper end it is provided with an annular groove in which lies a split ring I40 resting on the top of the sleeve. In this manner the member I34 is supported by the sleeve. Extending around the group of fingers I20 in recesses formed in the fingers is a split resilient ring I42 which holds the fingers against the flange I24. Slidingly mounted in the. member I34 are three rods I44 (see Fig. 16) which hear at their lower ends'on the inner end portions of the three small levers I30. The upper ends of the three rods I44 are engaged by the fiat lower face of a substantially semi-spherical member I45 the curved face of which is engaged by a'complem'entally curved surface formed on a cap member I40 fastened by three screws I50 on the top of the sleeve I36. The member I46 is held against its seat on the cap member I48 by a spring-pressed pin I52 in the member I34, and extending upwardly from the member I46 is a handle I54. It will thus be seen that each gripper is supported initially, not by its operating arm 38, but by the corresponding group of fingers I20, the member I34 and the sleeve I36, and that'by turning the sleeve the gripper may be adjusted in directions heightwise of the shoe, the sleeve being rotatable on the member I34. For thus turning the sleeve the cap member I40 has a knurled periphery. It will be understood .that

such adjustment of each gripper is permitted by pulling movements of positively predetermined extent will be imparted to these grippers prior to the beginning of the movements of the additionai side grippers. It will be understood, however, that the screws I42 are capable of such adthe fact that initially the gripper-operating bar is spaced more or less from the arm I00 associated with the end gripper and from the screws I02 in the corresponding arms I00 associated with the other grippers. As illustrated in Fig. 3, the adjustment is preferably such that the jaws of the end gripper 48 are somewhat lower than the laws of the main side grippers 80, and the jaws of the latter also are preferably lower than those of the additional side grippers 52, these being the positions best adapted for receiving the margin of the toe-end portion of the upper in the relation which it bears to the last when the shoe is presented to the machine. It will be evident that adjustment of the end gripper 48 downwardly or upwardly will vary the extent of its effective upper-pulling movement by varying the amount of lost motion between the bar 96 and the'corresponding arm I00. While the same result is a natural incident of similar adjustments of the other grippers, the screws I02 associated with those grippers provide means for further varying the extent of their upper-pulling movements as hereinbeiore explained. Each of the several grippers, moreover, may be preliminarily adjusted by swinging it in any desired direction about the ball-shaped end 84 of the pin 86 on which it is mounted, this being done by tipping the controlling member I46 by means of the handle I54. It will be understood that by reason of the relation of the small levers I30 to the rods I44 and the fingers I20, such tipping movement of the member I46 forces downwardly one or more of the rods I44 and raises the corresponding finger or fingers I20 connected to the flange I 24 on the gripper casing 54, thus swinging the gripper, the other fingers or finger I20 being permitted to move downwardly as the gripper is thus adjusted. After any such adjustment the gripper is maintained in adjusted position by the member I46 by reason of the frictional engagement of this member with its seat on the cap member I48.

Each of the side grippers is further adjustable about an axis extending hel-ghtwise of the shoe to position its jaws in proper relation to shoes of diiferent shapes. Associated with the two side grippers at each side of the toe is a plate I56 (Figs. 2, and 16) which is secured by screws on the top of the casting I38 but has on its lower face bosses which space portions of it above the casting. Extending under the plate in the spaces thus provided are two gripper-adjusting plates I58, one for each gripper, each of these plates I58 having an opening through which the sleeve I33 extends and being provided with an arm I60 extending downwardly through an opening I62 in the casting I38 into a recess I64 (Fig. 15) formed in the lower end portion of the-member I34. It will thus be seen that by turning the plate I58 the member I34 may be turned in its bearing in the sleeve I36, and since one of the fingers I20 lies in the notch I22 in the fiange I24 of the gripper casing, as hereinbefore explained, the turning of the member I34 also serves to turn the gripper relatively to the ball-shaped end 84 of the pin 86. The plate I58 may thus be turned by engaging the head of a screw I66 which is threaded in the plate and extends upwardly through a slot I 68 in the fixed plate I56. After the adjustment the screw I66 may be turned to clamp the plate I58 to the plate I56 and thereby to hold the gripper in its adjusted position.

Prior to their upper-pulling movements the grippers may be closed on the upper by any suitable operating fluid admitted to the gripper cylinders above the pistons 80 therein, but it is contemplated that preferably compressed air will be used as the operating fluid. The air may be obtained from an extraneous source of supply, or, if desired, the machine may be provided with an air compressor and with suitable storage means.

10 The air is conducted to each gripper through a flexible tube I10 (Figs. 3 and 21) communicating with the upper end of the gripper cylinder and also with a metal tube I12 secured at its opposite ends to the two offset bosses 98 formed on the gripper-operating bar 96 so that this tube moves with the rockshaft 90. Communicating with the tube I12 is a flexible tube I14 (Fig. 21) leading from a pipe I16 which is in communication at one end with a port I18 (Fig. 22) formed in a plate I fast on the frame, this port being arranged to communicate at times with a chamber I82 enclosed partly by the plate I80 and partly by a casting I84 secured to the plate. Come pressed air is conducted into the chamber I82 from the source of supply through an inlet port 186: Movable in the chamber I82 in sliding contact with the plate I80 is a valve I88 mounted on a rod I90 which is guided in the casting I84, this valve being provided with a recess I82 through which, as' the parts are positioned in Fig. 22, communication is established between the port I18 leading to the gripper cylinders and an exhaust port I94. Upward movement of the valve against the resistance of a spring I96 serves to open the inlet port I18 to the chamber I82, thus permitting the compressed air to flow to the several grippers for closing them on .the upper. For imparting such upward movement to the valve the lower end of the rod I90 is seated in a socket in a member I98 fast on a rod 200 which is pivotally connected at its lower end to one arm of a bell-crank lever 202 (Fig. 1) supported by a spider 204 on the frame, the other arm of this bell-crank lever being pivotally connected to a member 206 slidingly movable on a block 208 which has a bearing on the cam shaft 40. Mounted on the member 206 is a roll 2| 0 engaged by the periphery of a cam 2I2 on the cam shaft, and connected to the member and to the frame is a spring 2I4 which holds the roll 2] 0 at all times against the cam and serves, when permitted by the cam, to impart the upward movement to the valve I88 to cause the closing of the grippers. The lower end of the rod I90 is seated loosely enough in the socket in the member I98 to permit such slight lateral movement of the lower end of the rod 200 as results from itsconnection with, the bell-crank lever 202. It will be understood that when the member 206 is returned by the cam 2I2, thus lowering the rod.

200, the valve I88 is returned to exhaust position by the spring I96, thus causing the opening of the grippers. When the grippers thus open and release the upper they are moved farther upwardly to make way for the upper-fastening means (hereinafter described) by reason of the shape of the cam II4, as indicated on the chart (Fig. 35), and near the end of such further upward movement of each gripper the flange I24 on the gripper casing is engaged by a screw 2I8 (Fig. 28) in the member I 34 to swing the gripper inwardly over the bottom of the shoe and thus to insure proper clearance between it and the fastening means.

The gripper-operating movement of that arm 88 which is connected to the end gripper 48 serves also to withdraw the end gage I4 from its operative position (Fig. 3) to an idle position away from the shoe, as illustrated in Fig. 26. For this purpose there is pivotally connected at its upper end to the arm 88 a link 2I8 the lower end of which extends into a socket in a coupling member 220 mounted on the pin 22 which connects the two toggle links I8 and 20. A screw 222 11 threaded in the lower end of the link H8 and extending through a slot in themember 222 serves to secure the link and the member adjustably' together.

mechanism of substantially the same construction asdisclosed in Letters Patent No. 2,160,846, which mechanism therefore need not be described indetail. Briefly, the wipers are supportedbya wiper carrier 222 (Figs. 1 and 3) pivotallyfmounted at 222 onthe upper end of a cam-operated lever 222 whereby the carrier and the wipers are advanced and retracted lengthwise of the shoe. Supported on. the wiper carrier is cam-operated mechanism, including a bell-crank lever 222, whereby, the wipers are closed and opened in directions widthwise of the shoe. The wiper carrier is swung upwardly about its connection with the lever 222 while the grippers are holding the upper under tension to cause the wipers to wipe the upper heightwise of the last by cam-operated mechanism includin a pair of links 224, after which the wipers are advanced and closed to wipe the marginal portion of the upper inwardly over the insole and then hold the upper in lasted position until it is fastened by means now to be described.

For fastening the upper in lasted position the machine is provided with a plurality of fastening-inserting devices 222, hereinafter-- referred fingers apart to permit it to pass between them. Tacks are fed as hereinafterdescribed into tackrec'eiving passages 282 in the several tack holders and when the drivers are retracted above the 5 lower ends of these passages the tacks are admitted into the driver passages 242.

One of the tackers. which may be termed the end tacker, drives its tack in the V-shaped recess between the wipers 224 when the latter are in their closed positions, as illustrated in Figs. 28

and 34. The other. tackers drive the tacks through-holes 282 (Figs. 29 and 33) in the wipers, the tapering lower ends of the tack holders 222 being seated in recesses 264 in the wipers when the tacks are driven. In order, however, to provide room for the grippers the several tack holders occupy initially positions in which they are both upwardly and outwardlyretracted substantial distances from their tacking positions,

as shown in Fig. 3. To permit such outward pin 2 (Fig. 12) supported in a block 262 which is pivotally mounted on a pin 210 at right angles tothe pin 2" and supported in a block 212 fast on the lower end of a piston rod 214 through which the driver bar is operated. This piston rod extends upwardly into acylindrical bore or cylinder 212 formed in the casting I38 and has fast on its upper end a piston 272 operated by compressed air as hereinafter described, the cylinders and pistons being arranged in a semitO fli rs. which are herein shown as seven circular series (Fig. 2). By means also hereinteen in number (Fig. 34) for driving a maximum of seventeen tacks. Each tacker (Figs. 28 and 29) includes a tack holder 2" and a tack driver 242 movable in a driver passage 242 in thetack holder to drive the tack, the driver-being detach- 40 ably secured to a driver bar 244 which is also guided by the tack holder and may be considered a part of the tacker. The: driver extends upwardly into a socket in the lower end of the driver bar and is provided with an annular groove 242 in which lies a ball 242 mounted in a recess in one side of the driver bar and confined in the recess by a ring 252 to hold the driver in place. This ring is mounted on a diametrically reduced lower end portion of the driver bar and is held against downward movement beyond the position in which it is shown in Fig. 29 by a split ring 252 which lies partly in a. groove in the driver bar and partly in an annular recess in the lower end portion of the ring 252. The ring 252 be moved upwardly tobring'its above-mentioned annular recess opposite the ball 242 and thus to permit the driver to be detached from the driver bar and a new driver to be substituted. Near its lower end the tack holder 222 is provided with a pairof tack lingers 254 arranged to extend inwardly through openings in its opposite sides to support the tack in the driver passage prior to the tack-driving operation. The tack fingers have integral therewith upwardly extending leaf springs 252 the upper end portions of which are dovetailed in cross section (Fig. 32), and are inserted in complementally shaped recesses formed in opposite sides of the tack'holder. It will be understood that when the driver is after described each piston 218 is maintained initially at the upper end of the cylinder in which it is mounted. It will be evidentthat the above-described connection between each driver bar 244 and the block 212 provides a universal 'Joint permitting the tacker to be swung lateralhr in any direction.

To support and control the tack holder 238 of the end tacker, this tack holder has pivotally connected to it by a pin 282 (Fig. 3) an arm 282 having thereon a threaded stem 284 extending upwardly through an opening formed in the front end of a horizontal pin 288 and secured adjustably to this pin by nuts 288 threaded on the stem 50 284 above and below the pin. The pin 286 extends rearwardly through a block 290. and through a'vertical pin 252 mounted in this block and it is secured adjustably in fixed relation to the vertical pin by a setscrew 294 threaded in the lower end of the vertical pin. The block 290 is supported by an underlying horizontal plate 2 (Figs. 4, 5 and 8) through which the lower end of the pin 292. extends and which is itself supported and controlled as hereinafter described. The plate 226 is provided midway between its opposite side edgeswith an L-shaped upward and forward extension 258 (Fig. 3)

ough which the upper end portion of the pin 2 2 extends and through which also the rear end of the pin is: extends. an supported by the plate 222 and mounted for swinging movements about the pm 292 are .two forwardly curved levers 320, the right-hand lever being forked as shown in Fig. 5 to provide portions mounted on the pin respectively above and below an upwardly offset portion of the left-hand lever. Under the forwardly extending curved arms of these two levers are similarly curved armsjill pivotally mounted on the pin .292 and resting on the plate 296, the

operated to drive the tack it forces the tack left-hand arm 204 having an upwardly-offset por- 13 tion overlapping the other arm (Fig. 8) and on which the block 290 rests. At theirfront ends the levers 300 and the corresponding underlying arms 304 are secured together by bolts 308 which are diametrically enlarged between the levers and the arms to maintain them in properly spaced relation. Between the levers 300 and the underlying arms are mounted mechanisms for supporting and controlling the tack holders 238 of the several tackers other than the end tacker. These mechanisms include two series of what maybe termed ball-shaped members 3|0 through which, and through sleeve portions 3l2 (Fig. 7) formed on these members, extend rods 3 integral with the upper end portions of downwardly inclined arms 3i6 (Fig. 4). Threaded in the lower ends of these arms are pins 3l8 pivotally connected by studs 320 to the respective tack holders 238. Each of the ball-shaped members 3l0 and its sleeve 3l2 has therein a slot 322 extending from top to bottom thereof but terminating short of the outer end of the sleeve, so that by forcing the two halves of the ball-shaped member toward each other the rod 3 may be firmly clamped to the member. Between each two adjacent ball-shaped members is a block 324 having on its opposite sides curved seats for the members and provided on the top and bottom thereof with round projections 326 lying in slots 328 formed respectively in the corresponding lever 300 and the underlying arm 304. In this manner the blocks are held in proper alinement with the ball-shaped members. Fast in each block 324 is a pin 330 extending into larger openin s 332 in the adjacent ball-shaped members to assist in maintaining the parts in proper assembled relation while permitting any such turning movements of the ball-shaped members as may be necessary to adjust the tack holders. The rearmost of the left-hand series of ball-shaped members is in engagement with a curved seat formed on a plate 334 (Fig. 8) which extends upwardly into a recess in the corresponding lever 300 and has at its lower end proiections 336 (Fig. 10) lying in notches 338 formed in the sides of the corresponding lower arm 304, this plate having therein a pin 340 extending into a larger opening in the adiacent ball-shaped member and performing the same function as the pins 330. The plate 334 thus serves to confine at one end the left-hand series of ball-shaped members. The same function is performed with respect to the right-hand series of members by a plate 342- wh ch is smaller than the plate 334 but is held in the same manner in fixed relation to the corresponding lever 300 and arm 304. At the front end of each series of ball-shaped members is a block 344 anchored to the corresponding lever 300 and arm 304 in the same manner as the blocks 324 and provided with a curved seat for the adjacent ball-shaped member, this block having fast therein a pin 346 performing the same function as the pins 330. Extending into a depression in each end block 344 is the rounded end of a screw 348 which is threaded in a stud 350 reduced end portions of which are mounted to turn in hearings in the lever 300 and the arm 3 4. This screw may be turned by a hand Wheel 352 formed thereon to apply pressure to the s ries of ball-sha ed members 3"! and thus to clam these members in fixed relation to one another and to cause them by contraction to rip the rods 3! 4 in fixed relation thereto. It will be understood that this is done after the tack holders 238, other than the end tack holder, have been adjusted in proper relation to one another and that after such adjustment the tack holders of each group are maintained in adjusted relation by the pressure applied through the corresponding screw 348 to the members 3 i 0. The procedure involved in such adjustment of the tack holders will be hereinafter more fully explained.

The plate 296 which supports the. above-described means for controlling the tack holders is in suspended horizontally on a front pair of curved arms 354 (Figs. 4 and 14) mounted to turn about studs 356 supported on the frame, and on a rear pair of arms 358 mounted to turn about a rockshaft 360 supported in bearings formed 'on a.

bracket 362 (Fig. 5) which is fast on the frame and also in bearings formed on ribs 364 (Figs. 2 and 6) on the frame. The front pair of arms 354 are pivotally connected to upwardly extending lugs 368 on the plate 296, and the rear pair of arms 358 are pivotally connected to upwardly extending lugs 368 on the plate. The front arms 354 and the rear arms 358are connected together by links 369. The two rear arms 358 are connected rigidly together by a web 310 extending across from the hub of one tothe hub of the other. Fastened to the front right-hand portion of the plate 236 underneath is a U-shaped coupling 312 connected by a link 314 to one arm of a bell-crank lever 316 mounted to swing about the shaft H0, the other arm of this bell-crank lever carrying a roll 380 engaged by the periphery of a cam 382 on the cam shaft 40. A spring-384 connected to the bell-crank lever holds the roll against the cam and, when permitted by a drop on the cam, serves to apply a downward pull to the plate 296. This causes the arms 354 and358, which function as parallel links, to swing in the direction both to lower the plate 296 and to move it forwardly lengthwise of the shoe. In this 40 manner, through bodily movements of the levers 300, the several tack holders 238 are moved downwardly toward the wipers 224 and forwardly lengthwise of the shoe toward their tacking positions, the tack holders sliding downwardly along the drivers 240 and the driver bars 244 and the driver bars swinging about their connections with the blocks 212. In response to the forward movement of the plate 296 the levers 300, together with the underlying arms 304, are

also swung about the pin 292 to move all but the end tack holder in directions widthwise of the shoe to positions corresponding to the holes 262.

in the wipers when the wipers are in positions for the driving of the tacks. For thus swinging the levers 300 there are provided rods 386 (Figs. 3, 4

. and 5) fixed at their lower ends in the bracket 362 and extending upwardly through slots 388 formed in arms 390 of the levers which extend rearwardly in divergent relation to each other,

the two levers crossing each other in the vicinity of the pin 292. Slidingly movable on the rods 306 are blocks 392 which are mounted in the slots 380, each block having flanges extending under the corresponding arm 390 and havingalso an 5 upwardly extending sleeve portion 394 on which is threaded a nut 396 engaging a washer 398 bearing on the top of the arm. ,It will be understood that as the plate 296 is carried forward and downward the arms 390 slide along the blocks 392 and the latter slide downwardly on the rods In adjusting the tackers for use on shoes of a given size and style, after wipers suitable for use on such shoes have been mounted in the machine, the operator turns the cam shaft 40 by 

